Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman
{{short description|Strikeforce mixed martial arts event in 2012}}
{{Infobox MMA event
| name = Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman
| image = Strikeforce-Rousey-vs-Kaufman-Poster.jpg
| promotion = Strikeforce
| date = August 18, 2012
| venue = Valley View Casino Center
| city = San Diego, California, United States
| purse = $368,000 (disclosed only)
| previousevent= Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy
|followingevent= Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Healy
}}
Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman was a mixed martial arts event held by Strikeforce. The event took place on August 18, 2012, at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.{{cite web |url=http://www.strikeforce.com/event/SF3 |title=Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman |publisher=Strikeforce.com |accessdate=2012-08-09}} It was broadcast live on Showtime and Showtime Extreme.{{cite web |url=http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Ovince-St-Preux-Meets-TJ-Cook-on-Aug-18-at-Strikeforce-Rousey-vs-Kaufman-43877 |title=Ovince St. Preux Meets T.J. Cook on Aug. 18 at Strikeforce 'Rousey vs. Kaufman' |author=Whitman, Mike |publisher=Sherdog |date=2012-06-29 |accessdate=2012-08-11}}
Background
The main event featured a Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship bout between new titleholder Ronda Rousey and former champion Sarah Kaufman.{{cite web |url=http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Ronda-RouseySarah-Kaufman-Strikeforce-Title-Bout-Official-for-Aug-18-in-San-Diego-43825 |title=da Rousey-Sarah Kaufman Strikeforce Title Bout Official for Aug. 18 in San Diego |last=Whitman |first=Mike |publisher=Sherdog |date=2012-06-26 |accessdate=2012-08-11}} The entire card consisted of nine sanctioned mixed martial arts bouts.{{cite web |url=http://www.sherdog.com/events/Strikeforce-Rousey-vs-Kaufman-22973 |title=Strikeforce - Rousey vs. Kaufman |publisher=Sherdog |accessdate=2012-08-11}} The official weigh-ins, on August 17, were open to fans as reported by MMAjunkie.{{cite web |url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/30064/strikeforce-rousey-vs-kaufman-weigh-ins-slated-for-aug-17-open-to-fans.mma |title='Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman' weigh-ins slated for Aug. 17, open to fans |author=Staff |date=2012-08-07 |accessdate=2012-08-11 |publisher=MMAjunkie.com}}
Rousey appeared on Conan{{cite web |url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/30105/video-strikeforce-champ-ronda-rousey-gives-conan-obrien-a-lesson-in-armbars.mma |title=Video: Strikeforce champ Ronda Rousey gives Conan O'Brien a lesson in armbars |publisher=MMAjunkie.com |author=Staff |date=2012-08-09 |accessdate=2012-08-11}} and on Showtime's "All Access: Ronda Rousey" to promote herself and her upcoming fight.{{cite web |url=http://mmajunkie.com/news/30084/reminder-all-access-ronda-rousey-debuts-tonight-on-showtime.mma |title=Reminder: 'All Access: Ronda Rousey' debuts tonight on Showtime |publisher=MMAjunkie.com |date=2012-08-08 |accessdate=2012-08-11 |author=Staff}} She also appeared on the cover of ESPN's Body Issue.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/playbook/visuals/post/_/id/5566/espn-the-magazine-body-issue-the-pics |title=ESPN The Magazine Body Issue: The pics |publisher=ESPN |date=2012-07-10 |author=ESPN The Magazine |access-date=2012-08-11}}{{cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/ronda-rousey-poses-nude-espns-body-issue-fans-060900272--mma.html |title=Ronda Rousey Poses Nude for ESPN's "Body Issue": Fan's Reaction |publisher=Yahoo! Sports |author=Holden, Eric |date=2012-06-28 |accessdate=2012-08-11}} Rousey upped the hype at the official pre-fight press conference when she said "if I get her (Kaufman) in a choke I'm gonna hold on to it until she's actually dead..."{{cite web |url=http://www.bobsblitz.com/2012/08/gonna-choke-her-until-shes-actually.html |title=Gonna choke her until she's 'actually dead': Ronda Rousey on Sarah Kaufman |publisher=BobsBlitz.com |date=2012-08-17 |accessdate=2012-08-18 |author=Staff}}
With the cancellation of Strikeforce's next two events and their last event featuring only male fighters, this was the last Strikeforce card to feature bouts involving female fighters.
As he was absent from Strikeforce's last event due to a private family matter, this was the last Strikeforce card featuring Mauro Ranallo providing commentary on the televised broadcast.
Results
{{MMAevent}}
{{MMAevent card|Main card (Showtime)}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Women's Bantamweight
|Ronda Rousey (c)
|def.
|Submission (armbar)
|1
|0:54
|For the Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship.
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Middleweight
|def.
|KO (punches)
|1
|0:41
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Welterweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Middleweight
|def.
|Submission (triangle choke)
|1
|3:52
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Light Heavyweight
|def.
|KO (punch)
|3
|0:20
|
}}
{{MMAevent card|Preliminary Card (Showtime Extreme)}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Women's Bantamweight
|def.
|Submission (armbar)
|3
|3:28
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Middleweight
|def.
|TKO (leg kick and punches)
|1
|0:48
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Women's Featherweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent end|notes=yes}}
Salaries
The disclosed fighter payroll for Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman was $368,000. Individual payouts are listed below. The numbers only include figures that Strikeforce disclosed to the state athletic commission; fight bonuses, sponsorship fees, and other unofficial bonuses were not disclosed.{{cite web |last=Holland |first=Jesse |date=2012-08-20 |url=http://www.mmamania.com/2012/8/20/3255796/strikeforce-salaries-payouts-jacare-rousey-vs-kaufman-mma-showtime |title=Strikeforce salaries and payouts for 'Rousey vs Kaufman' nets 'Jacare' event-high $94,000 |publisher=MMAmania.com |accessdate=2012-08-20}}
= Preliminary card =
- Bobby Green: $16,000 ($8,000 to show, $8,000 to win)
- Matt Ricehouse: $5,000
- Germaine de Randamie: $15,000 ($7,500 to show, $7,500 to win)
- Hiroko Yamanaka: $8,000
- Adlan Amagov: $20,000 ($10,000 to show, $10,000 to win)
- Keith Berry: $2,000
- Miesha Tate: $38,000 ($19,000 to show, $19,000 to win)
- Julie Kedzie: $5,000
= Main card =
- Ovince St. Preux: $34,000 ($17,000 to show, $17,000 to win)
- T. J. Cook: $3,000
- Anthony Smith: $6,000 ($3,000 to show, $3,000 to win)
- Lumumba Sayers: $7,000
- Tarec Saffiedine: $35,000 ($17,500 to show, $17,500 to win)
- Roger Bowling: $10,000
- Ronaldo Souza: $94,000 ($72, 000 to show, $22,000 to win)
- Derek Brunson: $13,000
= Main event =
- Ronda Rousey: $40,000 ($20,000 to show, $20,000 to win)
- Sarah Kaufman: $17,000
Viewers
According to Annie Van Tornhout, a Showtime Sports publicist, the event drew an average of 529,000 viewers for the live and delayed broadcast. As a result, the event became the most-watched Strikeforce card on Showtime this year and the sixth most-watched of all-time.{{cite web |url=http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/8/21/3258284/rousey-vs-kaufmans-draws-529000-viewers-most-watched-strikeforce-card |title=Rousey vs. Kaufman Draws 529,000 Viewers; Most-Watched Strikeforce Card This Year |last=Helwani |first=Ariel |date=2012-08-21 |accessdate=2012-08-21 |publisher=MMAFighting.com}}
The broadcast peaked at 676,000 viewers for the main event, which is also the highest number this year for Strikeforce. In total, the Rousey vs. Kaufman bout drew 908,000 viewers, including Sunday's replay of the fight.